Lovenapped
by nothinparticular
Summary: The Dark One has one great weakness: The child he had with Cora, his daughter Regina. One day, the young woman is kidnapped by one of his greatest foes, Maleficent. But what happens when the dragon loses her heart to the girl? DragonQueen. Rumple is Regina's biological father. No Baelfire. Belle will make her appearance in later chapters as will Cora and Lily. Enchanted Forest.
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my new OUAT story. I hope you enjoy the first chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Tell me if I should continue this.**  
 **-np**

It was a cold and chilly morning in early March. The first rays of sunlight were slowly creeping up on the Dark Castle, where one inhabitant was already awake despite the early hour.  
Rumpelstiltskin was in the castle's kitchen preparing a sumptuous breakfast: Scrambled eggs, sweet vanilla porridge, a huge assortment of cut up fruit and of course blueberry pancakes. They were her favorite after all and today was a special day. A very special day indeed.  
On most days, Mrs. Potts and Lumière - the only servants that had dared to stay and work for the Dark One when he made a deal for the castle 15 years ago - would prepare the breakfast table but today he felt the need, the wish, to do it himself. Just like back in the days when his precious daughter was just a small child, he had neither a castle, nor servants and they shared a small hut in the woods.  
"Papa," the sweetest voice on earth sounded in the halls, as his girl made her way to the kitchen. "Where..?" The young woman stepped into the room and forgot to finish her sentence. She looked around, a big smile appearing on her beautiful face. "You made breakfast," she stated, warmth lacing her voice.  
"Course I did, dearie," her father chuckled, walking up to her and hugging her to his chest. "I always do on your birthdays. And today is a very special one at that."  
The Dark One smiled the loving smile only his child got to see. He'd been enamoured with her from the first time he'd laid his eyes on the small newborn's face. She'd looked so much like her mother even back then but without the malice and calculation in her dark eyes. He did not care about Cora anymore, he truly didn't, but he would be forever grateful for the child she'd born him. When his little girl had grown older, he had wondered with every passing day, how two villains like them could've created something so pure; a mother who took out her own heart and poisoned it so nobody could force it back inside of her without her immediate death and a father who was the darkest sorcerer in the land, with a heart almost as black as her hair. Killing was her mother's hobby and often her father's business, but there she was, breaking out in guilty tears when she'd been six and had accidently stepped on a snail. And now, today, his little girl was 18. A grown woman.  
"Don't remind me of it," Regina scolded her father in jest. "I'm getting old."  
He laughed and let go of his daughter. "Happy Birthday sweetie," he kissed her rosy cheek. "Let's eat breakfast. I'll show you your gift after we've eaten."  
The two sat down and enjoyed their breakfast. It was too bad they couldn't spend time together like this so often. Rumpelstiltskin was often away, making deals and collecting magical items. Regina would stay at the castle; it was too dangerous for her to venture out and explore the surrounding land - too many people held a grudge against her father and wanted to cause him pain. And what better way to achieve this than hurting the thing he loved most.  
Regina sighed and put her fork down. A frown appeared on her face.  
"What's the matter dearie?" Rumple wanted to know when he noticed his daughter's sullen face.  
"Nothing Papa," she responded, not looking him in the eye.  
"I can tell you're lying sweetie. Tell me. What is it that troubles you."  
"I just feel so lonely sometimes..." his daughter finally admitted, looking up at him with teary eyes. "I wish I could leave the castle grounds."  
He sadly nodded at her words. There was nothing he couldn't give her but freedom and friends.  
Then he had an idea.  
"Maybe," he started, waiting until her eyes curiously met his. "Maybe I can take you to town with me later? We're running out of food and Mrs. Potts could use the day off to visit her sister in Sherwood."  
"Oh I'd love to!" the eighteen-year-old practically squealed. "Can we go now?"  
Her excitement at the prospect of going to town made him chuckle.  
"In a little while," he smiled at her. "First let's open your presents."  
Rumpelstiltskin snapped his fingers and a small pile of wrapped boxes appeared on the newly free kitchen table.  
"Open them," he said, excitedly rubbing his glittering hands together.  
Regina started with one of the smaller boxes. She swiftly unwrapped it and found two books in there.  
One was a big leather bound tome that looked rather old with the title 'A history of Oz'. She already had the same edition about the Enchanted Forest and Arendelle. She couldn't visit the far off places but she could at least learn about them. The second book had a dark purple binding and said 'Healing and other light magic for the Advanced'.  
"Thank you, Papa," she beamed at her father. Books were one of her greatest pleasures and she always loved to learn something new.  
"Go along," he grinned. "Open the other two."  
Regina did and revealed a new dress in one and riding breeches and jacket in the other. She was confused about the last gift tough.  
"Papa," she began but was interrupted when the world started to spin around her and seconds later she and her father were in the castle's garden.  
"There is one last gift," he grinned and walked to the castle stables, Regina following after him. "I know how sad you were when Rocinante passed away last year. And I know you said you never wanted another horse… but I see how you miss riding every day… so..." He gestured to one of the stalls, where a beautiful grey stallion was waiting for her.  
"Oh Papa!" Regina exclaimed, hurrying up to the stall and gently stroking the horses head. "He's beautiful. What is his name?"  
"His name is Shadow," he stated. "I bought him from a farmer in Arendelle. He's four years old."  
He really had bought the horse, for a proud price as well. He knew how much his daughter hated it when he just took what he wanted or tricked people for his own good. So he tried to at least get her presents the old fashioned, honest way.  
"Thank you Papa," she walked up to him and quickly hugged him. "Can I saddle him and take him for a ride on the castle grounds?"  
"You can dearie. But I thought you wanted to accompany me to town?" he was glad she was happy about her gift. He hadn't been sure; the loss of Rocinante last year had really been hard on her. The steed had been 15 and had been Regina's loyal companion for most of her life. And living so secluded with only her father and two servants as company, she'd felt the loss even heavier. That horse had been her only friend.  
"Oh," Regina turned around to her new horse. "I guess I'll see you later, Shadow."  
The stallion nuzzled her hand, making Regina smile. She fed him a carrot and left the stables with her father.

"You know the rules Regina, don't..."  
"Don't go out of your sight, don't tell anyone we're related and scream loudly if I am in any danger," Regina finished with a small smile. "I know Papa. It's not the first time you take me to town."  
"Alright," he couldn't help but be concerned. She was the only thing he treasured more than his power, his own life. "Let's go then."  
"Can I ?" Regina looked at her hands. She felt like her magic was stronger today than ever before. She'd have to ask her Papa about it later.  
"You may," Rumpelstiltskin nodded at his eager child. He trusted her and her powers enough to know she'd get them there in one piece.  
Her nose wrinkled in concentration and seconds later purple smoke emanated from her fingertips and engulfed them. When the smoke cleared, they found themselves on the outskirts of town; just far away enough to not be seen by the townspeople.  
"You go ahead, dearie. I'll make my great entrance once you're at the market," he motioned for Regina to walk off. The young woman kissed his cheek and soon entered town.

She was just browsing through one of the stalls, when shocked gasps and outcrys went through the crowd. She turned her head to see her father appear in a cloud of purple smoke in the center of the square.  
He winked in her direction and went to a stall selling vegetables and fruit, leaving clearances wherever he went.  
Regina turned back to the stall. It's owner was a middle-aged bulky man with dark hair and a big nose. She looked at the trinkets, fabrics and jewelry, her eyes landing on a beautiful brown leather bracelet adorned with feathers.  
"It's beautiful isn't it?" a man had walked up to the stall and stood next to her. "It doesn't hold a torch to your beauty tough mylady."  
Regina pulled her hand back. She'd just been at the process of running her hands over the soft feathers, when the stranger had addressed her. She looked at him warily. He was rather handsome, dressed in fine leathers and fabrics but his eyes... his eyes made Regina shudder.  
"Oh excuse my manners, mylady. The name's Nottingham. William Nottingham. I am the sheriff of this town." He puffed out his chest, waiting for the girl to answer.  
"Nice to meet you," Regina politely said, omitting her name on purpose. The man's closeness made her alarm clocks shrill and she had the urge to flee. She nervously looked around for her father but couldn't make him out in the crowded market place. And screaming would only cut her time at the town short… the guy hadn't done anything yet.  
So she turned around and walked away to look at what the other stalls sold. She didn't come far.  
A hand wrapped firmly around her upper arm, holding her back.  
She looked behind her to see it was the sheriff again.  
"Let go of me," she said with confidence she didn't feel. His grip on her arm was starting to hurt.  
Instead the man stepped closer and pressed himself into her back. She could feel something hard against her butt and tried to squirm out of his hold.  
His hot breath was on her neck; his second hand found its way to her belly, sliding further down as the seconds ticked by.  
"You know you want it, darling," his overly sweet voice whispered in her ear, making her stomach turn.  
She was just about to scream for her father, when the hand left her arm and firmly pressed itself over her mouth.  
"Tsk, tsk. Now you'll be a good girl and give me what I want," she heard him say. Then he pushed them forward until they left the crowded place and reached a dark and empty alleyway. Panic shone in her eyes when he pushed her against a stone wall, hard, and pressed himself against her even tighter. His left hand wandered down her belly and started to crawl up under her dress, his fingers on her skin making her gulp down the bile that had risen in her throat.  
"Please," she whimpered incoherently under his sweaty hand.  
'I should've screamed when he first approached me,' she scolded herself, tears running down her cheeks and onto his hand.  
Just when she closed her eyes and his fingers almost reached her knickers, she felt him being roughly pushed away from her.  
"How dare you lay a hand on her you filthy bastard," the female voice of her protector snarled. "Hasn't your mama told you how to treat a woman?"  
Regina sunk to the floor; her hands trembling with fear and shock.  
She heard a pained gasp and when she finally dared to turn around and face her savior, her eyes only found the sheriff who laid on the ground in a pool of his own blood, eyes wide open, dead. There was no one else to be seen in the alleyway.  
"Regina!" Her father suddenly appeared beside her, bending to his knees.  
He'd looked for her everywhere until a man finally stammered out that he'd seen her 'go off' with the Sheriff Nottingham.  
"Are you alright?" he asked, noticing her condition and the dead man lying just a few feet away from her. "Did he...?" He couldn't bring himself to end his questions, didn't want to know of his failure to protect her.  
"No," Regina shook her head. "He wanted to but then..." The girl trailed off, too shocked to talk about what had happened.  
"We can talk when we're home," Rumpelstiltskin softly said and wrapped his arms around his daughter, glad she was relatively unharmed.

Then he teleported them back to the castle.  
He settled her in a comfy armchair opposite the fireplace and brought her a cup of tea before conjuring a chair and taking a seat in front of her.  
"Regina," he began but she stopped him with a move of her hand.  
"Don't, papa. This is not your fault. I don't want you to apologize," she managed a small smile at her father. "A woman, a woman saved me," she finally stuttered out, looking at her father. "I didn't even see her. She was gone before I could see her face or thank her."  
"A woman, you say," the Dark One mused but couldn't think of any woman powerful enough and especially willing to save a young girl from being raped. He would definitely ask around in town tough. He wanted to meet the mysterious woman who had saved his only child when he couldn't.  
"Can I go to bed now?" Regina tiredly asked. "I just wanna go to sleep." A lone tear ran down her cheek and it broke her father's heart.  
"Go ahead, sweetie. Do you want me to tuck you in? Or stay with you?"  
"No, I'll be okay," she gratefully said. "But could you go and tell Shadow that I'll see him in the morning first thing?"  
"I will," he promised. Regina nodded and left the room, headed for her bedchambers.

It was with great hesitation that Rumpelstiltskin left the castle the next morning, just a little after dawn. He had business in Oz and would only be back by evening. He didn't feel well leaving Regina alone the whole day, especially taking in concern what had happened the day before. But he couldn't wait another day. This was of great importance. So he wrote a note, put it on Regina's nightstand and told Lumière to keep an eye on her when she went outside.

 _"Regina,_  
 _I have urgent business in Oz and could not let this wait another day. If you need me, just speak my name and I shall be back as soon as I can. I'll see you this evening._  
 _Papa."_  
Regina put the note down and sleepily rubbed her eyes. She was used to her father's absence but had really hoped he wouldn't have to leave her today. She was still shaken by yesterday's events; the castle was probably the safest place in the land but still… Eventually she shrugged her shoulders and got out of bed. "I can do this," she whispered to the empty room. "It's just a day like every other."

Several hours later, she was just leaving the stables after a long morning ride on the grounds, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and she was teleported away.  
When the smoke cleared, she found herself in a dark round room with stonewalls, a small bed to her left and a heavy bracelet around her right wrist.  
"Where…" she started to ask but was interrupted by a massive door flying shut behind her.  
She turned around and walked to the barred window in the door. A blond woman was on the other side, her blue eyes looking her over.  
"Let me out!" she hammered on the door but the woman only kept staring at her.  
She raised her hand to produce a fireball only to notice she didn't feel her magic. Confused she looked at her captor.  
"The bracelet on your wrist is magical. It inhibits your use of magic," she explained. The girl started frantically fumbling around on her wrist, trying to get it off. "Oh don't bother trying to take it off. Only I can."  
"What do you want of me?" the girl took a step back from the door, her eyes full of fear and panic, her small body shuddering. It constricted Maleficent's heart to see her like this. Just yesterday she had seen the exact same look in a peasant girl's eyes. She gulped.  
"Girl," she said as gently as she could manage. She was torn between letting her go and keeping her locked up until she had what she wanted. The young woman started to sob into her hands and Maleficent was already reaching out to open the door when she remembered what was at stake.  
"I am sorry," she just said instead. "No harm will come to you as long as your father gives me what I want."  
Then she forced herself to turn away and leave the tower, the pained sobs following her on her way down.  
"Cruella, Ursula," she said to her friends who were waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "Go watch her. I have a message to send."  
The two nodded and started climbing the stairs when they heard Maleficent's voice shout after them, "Just watch her. No meddling!" 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.. Where Rumple gets home and finds his daughter missing and we get a little backstory on Cora.  
\- have fun reading, np**

When Rumpelstiltskin came home this evening, he was tired but looking forward to see his daughter and talk to her about her day. He had teleported into his garden and was about to open the huge castle doors, when he noticed a crow circling over his head.  
"Master!" Lumière came running out of the castle, breathing heavily. "You are finally back!"  
Rumpelstiltskin looked from the black bird to Lumière and knew something was amiss.  
"Where is Regina?" He growled at his servant, making the man jump.  
"That's what I came to tell you," the man said, holding his head low. "I can't find her," he swallowed.  
The Dark One put one and one together and cried out with rage, "Maleficent!".  
Sure enough, not a second later the witch stood in front of him.  
"What have you done?" Rumpelstiltskin wrapped his hand around her neck with fury, choking her. "Where is she?"  
"If you kill me," the blonde managed to rasp out. "You will never know."  
She chuckled and he let go, pushing her away.  
"What is it you want?" he hissed, waiting for her demands. He would do anything to get his daughter back.  
"I want the same everyone does, I want back what is mine," she paced the lawn in front of him. "I want my child back."  
"Your child?" the Dark One asked with disbelief.  
"Yes. My child. Unlike you I was clever enough to not let anyone know about her existence… or at least that's what I thought," pain contorted her face and her eyes held a green glimmer. The dragon inside of her was rearing its head as it always did when she was overwhelmed by great emotion.  
"She was kidnapped three weeks ago…"  
"And you want me to find her?" Rumpelstiltskin wanted to know.  
"Oh no," Maleficent chuckled but without any glee. "I want you to find her AND bring her back to me. Once I have her back in my arms, you can have your daughter back."  
"So you're doing to me what someone else did to you?" he tried to make her understand. "I promise to help you but please give me back my child. You of all people should understand."  
"I do," Maleficent admitted with great sorrow in her blue eyes. "But I know well not to trust you." The blonde took a small hairbrush out of a pocket in her dress and handed it to him.  
"This is Lilith's. Find her and bring her back to me and I swear no harm shall come to your daughter," she looked into the imp's eyes. "And do not try to free your daughter. I am not working alone."  
Then she disappeared in a cloud of silver smoke.

-

"The girl still hasn't eaten," Ursula said to Maleficent two days later. "Nor does she drink. At this rate we won't have a hostage much longer."  
Maleficent grimaced. She didn't want the girl to be in pain, didn't want her to suffer. But what was she to do? There was just no other way. She had to go through with this for Lily.  
She wondered if her child was locked in a tower as well? Or maybe a dungeon, a cave? Was she frightened, crying for help? She hoped she was even given food and water wherever she was..  
'Hold on," she thought. 'Please hold on a little longer, Lily.'  
She got up from her chair. "I'll go and talk to the girl," she said to Ursula who only nodded.

"Try your luck," Cruella hissed at Maleficent when she'd walked up to the tower. "Spoiled brat doesn't eat a thing. I'll be downstairs if you need me."  
Then she turned and started walking down the stairs, leaving Maleficent in front of her prisoner's door.  
She hesitated but finally entered the room.  
The girl was sitting on the bed, knees pulled to her chest, staring at the wall. The plate with food sat untouched next to her.  
"What's your name, girl?" was the first thing that came to Maleficent's mind.  
It seemed the girl hadn't realized that someone had entered the room: She jumped, obviously startled, and drew her knees tighter to herself, looking warily at her captor.  
When she didn't answer Maleficent sighed, put the plate on the floor and sat on the bed next to the girl.  
"I am Maleficent," she started, feeling dumb but not knowing what else to say.  
"Why don't you eat something? Or drink some water at least?"  
She picked up the cup and held it out to her but the girl didn't move.  
"What do you want?" the girl quietly rasped out, her mouth dry from not drinking for two days. "Do you..." she started but her voice trailed off.  
"Do I what?" Maleficent looked at the frightened girl.  
The girl hesitated but finally whispered. "Do you..." She looked away. "Do you want to... to touch me?"  
Her voice was quivering with fear when she said those last words.  
Maleficent first didn't get what the girl was talking about but paled when she finally understood what she meant.  
"No!" she exclaimed a little too loud, making the girl tighten her fingers' hold on her knees.  
"No," she said again, this time softer, vehemently shaking her head. "I would never force myself onto someone. I… I'm sorry this is what you thought..."  
Maleficent hesitantly reached out a hand and laid it on her arm but quickly took it back when she felt the girl tense.  
"Why would you think such a thing?" Maleficent looked at the girl, for the first time really noticing her beautiful features. "Has anyone..?"  
"No," the girl mumbled. "But someone tried just a few days ago… I thought..."  
Then it hit Maleficent and she gasped. "You're the girl from the market!"  
"How do you..?" the girl asked but fell silent after making the math. "You?"  
Maleficent could kill herself for what she'd done. She should've recognized the girl when she first looked into the panicky brown eyes. First she saved her from being raped by that pig, then she captured the traumatized girl.  
'Well done, Mal. Well done.'  
The girl still stared at her with wide eyes. Then she pried the cup from her hand, touching Maleficent's fingers in the progress. Maleficent watched her gulp down the water, watched her pick up the plate from the floor and start eating.  
"I am Regina," she said between bites, not bothering to look at her.  
"Regina," Maleficent softly repeated, tasting the name on her lips.  
She watched the girl ravish her meal and decided that she should leave.  
"So," Regina's voice held her back. "What is it you want? You didn't answer me earlier."  
The girl looked so frightened that Maleficent decided to just tell her.  
"I need your father's help," she said, sitting back down on the bed. "My daughter Lilith was taken from me. He is the only one who could possibly find her and bring her back to me. I didn't have much choice."  
Regina thought about her words. She placed the now empty plate on the floor and looked into the blonde's blue eyes. They were full of worry and pain and somehow it hurt her to see her this way.  
She slowly reached out a hand and cupped the woman's cheek.  
"He will find your daughter," she just stated, gently stroking a strand of blond hair out of the woman's face.  
Maleficent couldn't do anything but stare. Here she sat, being comforted by the young woman she had kidnapped and locked up in a tower. She felt ashamed for the weakness that made her close her eyes and lean into her touch. It had been so long that someone touched her other than Lily.  
Before her heart could burst with all the contradicting emotions she felt, she hurriedly got off from the bed and left the room, sneaking a last green-eyed glance at Regina from the window in the door before teleporting herself outside onto the roof where she transformed into her dragon and flew away.

-

"I found your child," the Dark One said to Maleficent the day after.  
The woman's blue eyes shone with hope and Rumpelstiltskin shook his head.  
"I can't get her out of there myself, I fear."  
Maleficent wrinkled her forehead. "What do you mean, you 'can't get her out'? Where is she?"  
"Queen Snow White has captured her," the imp began, trying to explain. "It came to my ears that she and her husband were afraid of your child's potential darkness and therefor decided to lock her away where she never would be able to hurt anyone."  
"Where is she?" Maleficent asked again, rage at the royal family turning her eyes green and her hands to clenched fists.  
"They have her in a special little prison underneath the palace," Rumpelstiltskin said. "Not even I would be able to escape from it. It was created long ago with true love's magic by Morgana and Merlin. However…" he trailed off, always the drama queen.  
"However what? There must be a way to rescue Lilith," the witch was getting impatient.  
"The prophecies say only someone with a pure heart but born from great darkness can go in and out as they please," Rumpelstiltskin told her. "You see, the queen might have trapped your daughter in the cave but not even if she wanted could she free her again."  
Maleficent didn't want to believe what he just said. Because if it was true, there was no way she would ever hold Lilith in her arms again.  
"Na, na, dearie," the imp said, suddenly grinning. "I have exactly what you need but first you have to let go Regina."  
"And why would I do that?" Maleficent wanted to know. "You'd just take her and go back on your promise."  
"Well dearie," he chucked. "You'll just have to trust me or rather Regina. She is the key."  
"Key to what?"  
"To your daughter's cell of course," he said as if it was something every child knew. "You know... Regina is the one those prophecies are talking about. She was born from great darkness - me and a literally heartless mother - and she has a pure heart. Probably the purest there is." The imp shuddered when a 18 year old memory hit him. "I involuntarily got to see it once when she was just a few hours old. Her mother had ripped it from her chest to taunt me…" Maleficent gasped at that. "…it is white as snow."

He remembered it as if it had been yesterday.  
 _"Cora, stop!" Rumpelstiltskin said as he saw the woman plunge her hand deep into the newborn's chest. He had just arrived at Cora and Prince Henry's house to collect his newborn child and take her away from her heartless mother. He might be the Dark One and his heart may be blackened but he thought it was still better than having no heart at all. His knees went weak when he saw her hand emerge with a tiny heart and he gasped when he saw that it wasn't red but white._  
 _Cora chuckled. "Another joke from destiny?" She let one finger idly stroke the small heart, watching it without emotion._  
 _"Put it back or…"_  
 _"Or what Rumple?" The woman raised a finely manicured brow in contempt. "Come one step too close and I swear I will crush it between my fingers."_  
 _He slowly walked up to the crib and first laid his eyes on his daughter. She was perfect. Her fine hair was darker than her mother's, a deep black, and her eyes were a dark brown. The baby didn't have a heart and still he found the newborn curling her lips into a cute smile upon seeing his face. This wasn't possible. Did she feel even without her heart being where it belonged?_  
 _He gently smiled at his daughter and knew he would never let any harm come to her._  
 _So he bent over the crib, picked her up and rocked her in his arms._  
 _Then he looked at Cora. "Whatever you want, it is yours. Just give me her heart and let us go in peace."_  
 _The woman sneered in disgust. "I don't want anything. I have no use for a child, especially not one that's yours. When you leave through that door though, I want you to never be able to lay a hand on me, never be able to kill me."_  
 _"Deal," he said and a contract appeared in his hand. Cora took it and carefully read through the paragraphs. Eventually she nodded and signed. She looked down at the tiny heart beating in the palm of her hand. "Take her, you will certainly regret it one day. How could someone like you raise this child?"_  
 _Then she chuckled and threw the heart to him. He acted fast and caught it safely in his right hand, the baby having fallen asleep in his left arm. "Out of my sight," Cora hissed and he couldn't be happier to comply. First though, he put the tiny white heart back where it belonged. He did it so gently, Regina didn't even move in her sleep._

"I guess it is your lucky day today, Maleficent. You kidnapped the one person that would still help you afterwards, despite what you did," he said to the witch, frustration evident in his voice. Taking a seat on the stairs in front of the fortress he added, "Go and fetch my daughter, will you?"

 **AN: The next chapter is already written up. So follow, favorite, review and I'll post it soon ;) I'll post it soon anyways - still, I'd love to hear what you think.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Long chapter ahead :) Sometimes I just get lost in writing - good for you, bad for the uni work I should be doing instead :/  
A lot happens in this chapter, I'd be happy to hear your opinion! _Oh and be sure to read the second chapter first!_  
-np**

"Papa!" Maleficent watched as the young woman ran down the stairs and threw herself at her father before he could even get up.  
She was surprised to see the imp tighten his arms around the girl, crying silent tears of relief and joy.  
Oh how she'd wronged the two.  
"Did you find her daughter?" Regina asked her father, looking around for Lily Maleficent assumed. "Where is she?"  
"I found her sweetie but I couldn't retrieve the child." Maleficent saw the girl look at her father with a frown.  
"Why not?"  
"I wasn't able to," he said and raised a finger to his mouth, signaling her to be silent for another moment. "You are able to however. If you're willing."  
Maleficent walked up to father and daughter, holding in a breath. Would Regina help her get Lily back?  
The young woman didn't even think twice. "Of course I will, papa," she said to him but steered her gaze to Maleficent, trying to look reassuring.  
Maleficent couldn't help the small hopeful smile that now curved her full lips. "Thank you," she mouthed at Regina.  
Rumpelstiltskin sighed. "Of course you would want to help."  
Regina grinned at her father. "I do it just to spite you." Then she turned serious. "How am I able to free her when you are not?"  
The Dark One pondered the answer in his head and Maleficent saw him come to a decision when his eyes turned cold. "I believe it is time I tell you about your mother, Regina."  
The dragon realized the importance of the situation and reentered her fortress after giving a small nod at Rumpelstiltskin that she would wait until they were done talking.

"Will she help?" Cruella and Ursula expectantly looked at Maleficent when she entered the sitting room.  
Maleficent nodded. "She will."  
The other two women smiled at each other. They were the not-so-fairy godmothers of the child and wanted her back in their lives almost as much as Maleficent did.  
"Good," Cruella said.  
"Didn't believe she would, I mean we held her prisoner," Ursula added.  
"She is different," Maleficent just stated, a far-away impression on her face none of the others could read. "Regina is different from everyone else we know."  
"So where is she? And where is the Dark One?" Cruella wanted to know.  
"They are outside talking," the dragon replied, sitting down in an armchair. "They will join us in a moment's time."

Several minutes later the imp and his daughter walked into the room. Maleficent noticed that the girl's eyes were red-rimmed as if she had been crying. It wouldn't surprise her though. Hearing about her mother could not have been pleasant for the young woman.  
Still it was she who spoke up first, confidence in her young voice. "My father told me of my role in freeing your child," she said to Maleficent. "We will travel to the White Kingdom now if you want to accompany us."  
Maleficent got up from her chair but motioned for her friends to stay seated. "I will come with you," she said to Regina and Rumple before turning to Cruella and Ursula. "I need you to stay here and watch the castle."  
The two nodded. They had wanted to go as well but they understood that someone needed to be here in case the fortress was ambushed. Which was highly unlikely but one could never be too sure. If word got out that Maleficent wasn't here, some might just try their fortune… After all the woman hoarded treasures of unimaginable value in her dungeons.  
"I am ready to go if you are," the blonde now said to the father daughter team.  
Rumpelstiltskin looked at his daughter who smiled up at him before snapping his fingers and teleporting them away.

They reappeared in front of a cave. Looking around for guards or the like and not finding any, they slowly entered the cave system. It was dark and torches were only sparsely lit on the walls. Soon enough Maleficent saw the girl stumble and caught her on her elbow just in time.  
Even in the dim light she could see her blush and shyly smile at her. "Thank you," she whispered so as not to draw attention to themselves from potential guards.  
Maleficent nodded and finally managed to tear her hand away; it almost hurt to remove it from its spot on the raven-haired beauty's arm. She shook her head to get her act back together and followed after Rumpelstiltskin and his daughter.  
Twenty minutes later, they reached a crossroads where three tunnels were branching off in three different directions.  
They came to a halt.  
"This is a trap," Rumpelstiltskin uttered his thought and Maleficent could only agree. She was pretty sure great dangers were lurking in two of the tunnels.  
"So which one is the right one," the blond witch said more to herself than the others, peering into the dark tunnels.  
"I don't care which one is the right one, I will not let my daughter walk into great and unexpected danger," the imp glared at her. He was ready to quit this mad excursion.  
He turned around to look at Regina but the girl was gone.  
"No!" he screamed out in anger. "Regina?" he called out but only heard his echo.  
"If anything happens to her, it is entirely your fault," he barked at Maleficent.  
The woman was concerned as well; she didn't want any harm to come to Regina. Her heart constricted when she thought of something happening to the young woman because of her.  
"Let's separate," she looked at the Dark One. "Which tunnel do you choose?"  
He hated the fact that he needed her help now but finally grunted, "I'll take the left one." Then he headed off into the dark tunnel.  
Maleficent looked at the remaining two and finally decided to take the right tunnel. She didn't know why, but something was pulling her, beckoning her to follow its path.

Regina was stumbling through the darkness. It had been hard to see earlier but it was impossible now. There hadn't even been one torch in the ten minutes she'd already walked and she was too afraid to be noticed by someone to conjure a flame in her palm.  
She'd known as soon as she saw the crossroads, that her father would take her back home to protect her. And she had also known that this couldn't happen. Maleficent's daughter was somewhere in this cave and there was no way she was leaving the child behind. From what she'd told her about Lily, the girl was 5 years old. She couldn't even come close to imagine how the girl must feel. All alone, trapped in a dark cave. So when her two companions were still thinking about what to do, she'd silently crept away, merging with the shadows.  
Eventually she came to another branch-off. She stopped for a moment and took the left one, hoping she'd chosen the right one.

Maleficent was slowly fearing that she wouldn't find Regina in the tunnel she had taken. She'd been walking for over ten minutes now and hadn't found a single trace of the girl. She just hoped her father had found her by now, even if it probably meant he had taken her back to his castle. She couldn't bear the thought that the young woman could be hurt because of her.  
She would find a way to break Lily free without their help. Or maybe she could just search the tunnel system until she found her and bring Regina back when she knew where they had to go.  
She stumbled over a rock and fell, cursing the creators. She was just about to get up, when she saw a small silver earing in the shape of a feather. Regina's. So the girl had taken this way. She smiled to herself and got up, hurrying along the tunnel. The girl had to be close. She couldn't have been gone longer than three minutes when they noticed her absence.  
"Regina," she called out into the tunnel but it was hopeless. She could only hear her own worried echo call back to her.  
Several minutes later she reached another fork. Again she trusted in her instincts and took the left turn.

"Who have we here?" A tall man was walking towards Regina, his sword drawn.  
It seemed this was the right way – there wouldn't be guards if there wasn't anything to guard.  
She cursed herself for not noticing the man in the shadows before her. Or the torch he was carrying.  
"Timothy, Cornelius," he called out and two other men appeared behind him, all three wearing the royal guard's armor. She knew how it looked from one of her books. She also knew she was in big trouble.  
One of the men came closer, while the first still had his sword trained on her. She could easily kill one of them with a fireball but she didn't believe in killing. She would if she was pressured to and there was no other way… But she thought she probably even couldn't. Killing one of them, even in self-defense, would darken her heart and she wouldn't be able to free Lilith anymore. Anyway. There was no way she could take down all three of them. She wasn't exactly trained or experienced in the magical arts of destruction. She preferred healing…  
"Look at her," the man who'd walked up to her now drawled out. "Such a beautiful little flower. I bet she hasn't been touched by a man yet." He laughed but it sounded cold. "Good find, George. But you know I am the highest in rank." He leered at Regina. "You and Timothy can have your go when I'm done with the wench. You are very welcome to watch in the meantime."  
He grabbed the girl's shoulders and roughly pushed her against the cave wall. "Hold her, will you," he ordered his comrades and gave his torch to George. Then he stepped away and hastily took of his pants and underpants, revealing his hard member.  
He grinned when he saw Regina's eyes widen in fear. "Bet you've never seen anything like it," he said proudly, taking his stiff penis into his right hand and stepping closer to the girl. "We will have so much fun. I bet your tight little cunt is already dripping with want for me." He turned to the other two who were holding her firmly against the cold stone. "Undress her for me," he ordered and they were just too willing to comply. Their own members were already straining hard against their confines.  
Timothy grinned at the whimpering girl and together with George he roughly yanked at her dress, exposing her breasts. George eagerly stuck out his hand to touch the girl's beautiful breasts but was stopped by Cornelius who pushed him away, dick still in his hand. Regina turned her head away and closed her eyes, feeling her nipples painfully stiffen in the cold.  
"Oh, pretty girl wants me," Cornelius chuckled as he saw the stiffening nipples, looking at them with lust.  
He took one of her hands and was about to guide it to his waiting cock, when a fireball hit him in the chest, sending him to the floor in a burning heap.  
"Oh no," a female voice growled just before he closed his eyes forever. "You do not lay one dirty finger on her!"  
Timothy and George panicked when they saw their comrade burn to ashes by a woman with glowing green eyes. They started to run but it was already too late: Two fireballs hit them in the back, burning them to death as well.  
"Mal," Regina shortened the name without noticing and threw herself into the woman's arms, clinging to her and sobbing into her chest.  
Maleficent felt the fury slowly ebb away and make room for sorrow, empathy but also relief. Relief that she had found her in time. The dragon's anger finally subsided to a controllable flame and she was able to wrap her arms around the sobbing girl. She was lucky she survived this encounter. It was highly dangerous to get close to a dragon when they were extremely furious, no matter if one wasn't even the source of that fury.  
"Shh," she rocked the young woman in her arms, clutching her tightly to her chest.  
When the sobs stopped, she finally took a step back, not letting go of the girl though and magically repaired her dress. She couldn't help the heat though that rose in her cheeks at seeing the exposed breasts, breasts that had been tightly pressed up against her mere seconds ago. 'Maleficent,' she scolded herself. 'Don't you dare even think about her like this right now. Remember what just happened.' She forced herself to snap out of it, shame flooding her for feeling as she had.  
"Do you want to leave?" she softly asked Regina, who was busy wiping her eyes.  
The young woman looked at her with dark sad eyes but shook her head. "No. This is the right way. We leave when we rescued Lilith."  
Maleficent smiled at the girl's courage. 'She has a heart of gold,' she thought.  
"How did you find me?" Regina looked at the much older woman with curiosity.  
"I… I can't explain," Maleficent admitted. "It just seemed like the right path to follow."  
The raven-haired girl only nodded. "Let's go find your daughter."  
They walked with their hands entangled, shoulders and hips almost touching.  
After ten more minutes of silently walking, they finally reached a dead end. It was adorned with bars though and they knew Lilith had to be in there.  
"Lily?" Maleficent softly called out into the darkness. Regina was still holding her hand and she felt a reassuring squeeze from the other woman.  
"Lilith?"  
"Mommy?" a small voice called back and moments later, a young girl with dark brown hair and eyes stood in front of the bars, tears in her eyes and wearing a tattered red dress.  
"Oh Lily!" Maleficent exclaimed with joy, let go of Regina's hand and crouched down in front of the cell.  
"It's you mommy," the small girl smiled. "You came! They said no one would ever find me…"  
Lilith sadly looked down. "But how are you going to open the cell? They said no one can."  
Maleficent stuck her hand through the bars and gripped her daughter's small hand.  
"I brought someone who can, baby girl," she whispered, tears running down her face. She motioned for Regina to come into the light of the torch on the wall.  
"This here is Regina. She is very brave," she introduced her to her daughter, smiling up at the younger woman. "She can open the cell for us."  
Regina nodded. "I just don't know how… The prophecy said I could go in and out as I pleased… Maybe…"  
Maleficent watched in awe as Regina stepped through the bars and into the cell as if they weren't even there.  
"Did you see this mommy?" Lily excitedly asked her mother. "She went through them just like a ghost."  
"I saw it, baby girl," she said to her child, still in awe at what had transpired.  
"Lily," Regina bent down next to the small girl. "I need you to take my hand and be really brave. I think we can leave together now."  
"But I'm scared," the child whimpered, a tear escaping her eye.  
"I know you are little one," Regina softly said, smiling encouragingly at the dragon's daughter. "I was scared earlier as well but then your mommy here came and saved me," she smiled at Maleficent. "It's okay to be scared sometimes if you don't let your fear control you."  
She held out her hand for the girl to take and smiled when she did.  
She securely closed her hands over the child's small fingers and pulled her up with her. Regina looked down at the little girl. "You can close your eyes if you want to, Lily," she said to her. "We'll be through without you even noticing."  
Lilith nodded and closed her eyes, trusting the stranger to save her.  
Together they set in motion and in the blink of an eye they had passed the bars and were standing on the other side. Maleficent rushed to them and engulfed Lily in her arms, the small girl opening her eyes and squealing in joy when she found herself in her mother's embrace.  
Regina just stood next to them, contently watching the reunion of mother and daughter.  
"There you are," a voice called out and seconds later Rumpelstiltskin was hugging his daughter. "I'm so glad you're okay."  
"Papa," Regina only said, burying her head in his shoulder. There was nothing she desired more in this moment than to just go home and be out of this wretched cave.

An hour later, the four had reached the entrance of the cave system and had parted ways. Rumpelstiltskin had teleported himself and Regina back to his castle and Maleficent had taken her daughter back home to the Forbidden Fortress where they'd been welcomed by Lily's happy godmothers.  
Now it was hours later, the middle of the night, and Maleficent woke from the second nightmare in a row. Her emotions from the day's events were still running high, warring inside of her mind and dreams. It was a good thing then that dragons didn't need as much sleep as humans. Although she could've used a night of undisturbed rest – she hadn't really slept a whole night since Lily's abduction. She shuddered, her thoughts going back to the horrible dream she'd just had.  
In her nightmare, she'd come too late. She'd hurried through the pitch black tunnels only to find Regina's dead body, one of the guards grunting and still pushing roughly in and out of her while the other two watched and laughed. She felt fear overwhelm her and the need to see the young woman for herself. She quickly dressed, checked on Lilith who was peacefully slumbering in her own bed and woke Ursula, telling her to watch Lily for a little while.  
Then she walked out of the castle and spread her arms, turned into a dragon and jumped off the ground. She could've just teleported to the Dark One's castle but she felt she needed a little time to calm down before she arrived.  
And she would still be there in no time at all; the castle was far away from her fortress, but a dragon's huge wings knew no distance.  
She landed in Rumpelstiltskin's yard a good ten minutes later and turned back to her human form.  
"My, my," the imp sat on a wooden bench outside of his castle. "Little late for a visit, don't you think, dearie?"  
Maleficent sighed. There was no way he'd allow her to see Regina. How had she even thought she could just walk into the girl's room?  
"Rumpelstiltskin," she greeted the glittering man. "I guess I forgot the time, I shall…"  
"Nonsense, dearie," he chuckled and clicked with his tongue. "You did not forget the time. Tell me, why are you here?"  
'Well, why not try the truth,' she thought. She walked up to the man and sat down on the bench next to him. "I wanted to see Regina," she admitted.  
The Dark One nodded. "Just as I thought," he said. "I get the urge to check on her every so often as well."  
He looked darkly at the witch. "She told me what happened down there in the tunnels. And that it was you at the market as well. Thank you," he sincerely said to his daughter's savior.  
Maleficent just shook her head, dismissing it.  
Before she could say something, the imp surprised her. "Go ahead. Her bedroom's on the first floor, second door to the right. It's the one in the turret."  
She stared at him in shock. Had she heard him right?  
"Don't look at me this way, dearie," the imp laughed at her expression. "I am not a monster. And I think Regina could need a friend, even one as old as you are. Just don't ever kidnap my daughter again."  
She nodded and got up from the bench, ready to find Regina's room. "I'm not that old, you know. Just a little over two hundred."  
She smirked and entered the castle.

She found Regina tossing and turning in her bed. It seemed like she wasn't the only one who was haunted by bad dreams tonight. Without thinking, she climbed into bed next to the sleeping girl and started gently stroking her arm to get her to wake up.  
About a minute later, the young woman startled awake, instinctively jumping into Maleficent's arms.  
"How did you… What are you…" the confused woman tried to form a question.  
"Shh," Maleficent mumbled. "I came to check on you. Bad dream?"  
The girl nodded against her chest.  
"Do you want to talk about it?" Maleficent quietly asked and Regina shook her head.  
"Just… Hold me?" she whispered, snuggling deeper into the dragon. "Just until I fall back asleep?" Regina added when there wasn't an immediate answer. Maleficent hadn't needed to think about her request but rather had been too surprised and touched to find her voice right away.  
"Of course I will," Maleficent stroked over the girl's soft hair, letting it run through her fingers.  
"Feels… good…" Regina yawned and was asleep a moment later.  
Maleficent stayed for another ten minutes, watching her sleep and holding her in her arms. This young human was making her feel all kinds of things. She made her chest flutter and her dragon's breath burn wildly inside of her. She basked in the feeling of holding her close before she finally laid her back down and disappeared onto the balcony where she transformed into a dragon once again and started her flight home, the girl's smell buried deep in her nostrils.

 **AN: Who should be Lilith's father? Was she a child of love? It actually can't be Regina but I think I could still find a way to make her the second biological parent without the two of them ever having met before.. Magic has its ways after all ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**New chappie :) And to the guest reviewer who quite unfriendly stated that my Regina was weak and ooc: Yes, she is. But it will change in the next few chapters. I imagine my Regina at this point to be a lot like the young girl on the show (where Daniel was still alive or rather even before she met him). Also, Regina's always been prone to great sacrifice - one needs only to remember sending Henry and Emma out of town** **or** **Robin with his family** **or** **the scene where she would've sacrificed herself for the whole town (trigger at the mine). It all broke her heart but she did it for the ones she loves. How chould Regina possibly kill even one of her attackers - which would've darkened her heart - when a little child's life depended on it? Duh. She would never. So, yes she is ooc but only a little.**  
 **Now enjoy the new chapter.**  
 **-np**

"Mommy," Maleficent was woken by something tickling her face. She opened her eyes and found her daughter sitting on her chest, her brown hair tickling her nose.  
"Hey, good morning sunshine," she beamed up at her little devil, happy to have her back at home.  
"What would you like for breakfast my little spitfire?" she teased the little one.  
"I already had breakfast mommy," the girl said. "Aunty Cruella made pancakes. Even aunty Ursula ate them."  
"They must've been good then," the blond witch chuckled. Ursula was always looking after her figure although she didn't have one gram of fat too much.  
"They were," Lily smiled. "We left some for you."  
"Well, I guess I'll better get dressed then and hurry downstairs," she gave Lily a kiss on the cheek. "Before aunt Ursula eats all of them."  
"I'll go and guard your pancakes mommy," Lily said and hopped off the bed before running out of the room.  
Maleficent stretched and finally got out of bed. She preferred to sleep naked but since Cruella and Ursula had pretty much moved into the fortress, she at least wore panties and a short nightdress or shirt to bed.  
While she was getting ready for the day - she usually did it manually when she had the time - she couldn't help but think of Regina and the way her body had molded into her own. Or the way she'd wrinkled her nose when she slept. The way her fingers were clutching her dress or how she'd buried her head into her chest. Not to forget her smell. Maleficent took a deep breath but all she could smell was Regina.  
She shook her head to get rid of her daydreams and chose a simple and loose black dress for the day. She wanted to be comfy today.

When she got to the kitchen, she saw Lily and Ursula bickering over the last pancakes.  
"No-uh," her daughter said resolutely, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "These are mommy's pancakes. You already had five."  
Maleficent chucked, drawing the attention of the other three to her. "Good morning," she said to her friends and took a seat at the table. "Five pancakes huh?" She grinned teasingly at Ursula who blushed furiously.  
Then she smiled at her daughter and ate the apple pancakes she'd saved for her.  
"Mhmm, these are delicious," she moaned. "No wonder even Ursula indulged."  
Cruella smiled at her friend's praise before wiping her hands on a piece of cloth. She'd just done the dishes. "I'll be in the library," she said and left the room.  
"Can we see Regina today?" Her daughter's question surprised Maleficent so much, that she choked on a piece of pancake. She coughed. "Why are you asking?"  
"Cause she saved me and I wanna play with her," Lily said, making a 'duh' face. Adults could be so obtuse sometimes.  
Maleficent was about to say 'no' when she thought about it again. Rumpelstiltskin had said that Regina could use a friend after all. She was sure it was lonely, being the Dark One's daughter.  
"We can go and ask her," Maleficent told her excited daughter, Ursula only raising a brow at their exchange. "But if she says no, we go back home and you will not grouch."  
"Sounds fair," Lily said with a super earnest voice, making the two women in the kitchen laugh.  
"You go visit the Dark One's spawn," Cruella smirked at the two. "I think I'll do some gardening today. This place is a wreck."  
"Are you ready to go yet mommy?" Lily wanted to know as soon as her mother had swallowed her last fork of pancake.  
The dragon laughed at her child's antics. It was good to see that the time in Snow White's underground prison didn't seem to have changed her. Her daughter was still her happy, smiley, slightly mischievous self.  
"Alright," she got up from her chair when Lily started giving her the puppy dog eyes. "Let's go."

Seconds later they arrived with a whirl of silver smoke at the Dark Castle.  
"Ah, you must be Lily," Rumpelstiltskin just stepped out of his castle when they appeared, wearing his travel coat. "I am Rumpelstiltskin. Nice to meet you young lady." He playfully bowed to the child who grinned at him.  
"You've got a weird name," Lily honestly stated, making the adults laugh. "And why is your skin glittering?"  
Regina, who just came back from the stables, saved him from answering the question.  
"Gina," the small child squealed, letting go of her mother's hand and running up to her new friend.  
Regina bent down and picked up the little girl. "Hello Lily," she smiled at the child in her arms. "Did you have a good night?"  
The brunette child nodded. "I did. Aunty Cruella read me a story. Did you?"  
Regina blushed and so did Maleficent, Rumpelstiltskin noticed with equal parts worry and amusement.  
"I… I actually really did have a good night, little one. At least once I overcame the nightmares," the young woman glanced at Maleficent with a smile.  
"When I have a bad dream, I climb into bed with mommy. She gives the best cuddles," the girl said proudly. "You should try it too," she innocently advised. "I'm sure mommy wouldn't mind. Her bed is really big."  
The furious blush that rose in his daughter's cheeks as well as the witch's made Rumpelstiltskin laugh. "Oh you're wonderful, child," he chuckled before turning to Regina. "I'll be back in three hours, sweetie. If anything happens…"  
"…I will call out for you immediately," Regina finished for him and he nodded contently before disappearing on the spot.  
"Well," Regina said, setting the girl down. "What do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"  
"Lily really wanted to see you," the blond woman smiled at Regina, omitting that she had yearned to see her as well. "And I thought that maybe you could use the company."  
The young woman nodded. "I do."  
"Can we play hide and seek?" Lily asked and the two adults nodded.  
"Okay," Regina said. "But only inside and don't go into the room with the golden door. It's where my father keeps all of his magical items and many of them are quite dangerous."  
"Do you understand?" Maleficent asked her daughter. She hadn't gotten her daughter back for her to be turned into a toad or worse.  
Lily nodded. "Don't go into the room behind the golden door," she dutifully repeated.  
"Alright," Regina said. "Why don't the two of you find a place to hide and I count to 100?"  
The little one excitedly bobbed her head up and down.  
A moment later, Regina started to count and Maleficent and Lilith entered the castle.

Without meaning to, Maleficent found herself back in Regina's bedroom. There wasn't any time to lose, so she looked around for a place to hide. When she opened the doors of the wardrobe, she realized that it was too crammed with clothes for her to fit inside. She shrugged her shoulders, looking around the room once more. When she heard steps near the door, she hurriedly jumped onto the bed and threw the covers over herself. It was a terrible hiding spot but at least she didn't just stand in the middle of the room like before.  
Sure enough, she heard the door open and Regina's steps wander through the room. She just started to wonder if it was truly that easy to fool the girl, when she felt the mattress dip down and a body sitting down on top of her. A hand moved the cover from her face and then she was face to face with a grinning Regina. She was acutely aware of their closeness and the shapely legs left and right of her that were successfully trapping her underneath the smaller frame.  
"You found me," she curled her full lips into a smile.  
Regina smiled back down at her. "There wasn't really anything to find, I saw you the moment I entered the room," she chucked leaning down on Mal's chest, her face now just inches from Maleficent's. "I was just waiting until you had a false sense of security."  
Regina looked at the blonde with a far-off expression, studying her facial features.  
"You have really pretty eyelashes," the girl breathed, extending her index finger and softly caressing a pale cheek. Maleficent smiled at the young woman's touch. It had been such a long time since someone had touched her like this. Or rather never, now she thought about it. There hadn't been anyone ever who'd touched her so gently, so innocently, every single caress full of emotion. Her arms moved of their own accord; they moved out from under the covers, wrapped themselves around the girl's back and tightly pulled her form into her body. Or as much as that worked with the blanket between them.  
"So beautiful," Regina still mumbled to herself, stroking the blonde's face.  
And as much as she wanted, no tried and should stop herself, Maleficent couldn't.  
She raised her head from the bed and captured Regina's lips in a soft kiss. It felt like magic when their lips touched, she'd never felt like this before in her 233 years. When her head got to heavy and she laid back down, the other woman followed her movements so their lips never lost contact. Maleficent felt all warm and fuzzy inside.  
"Regina!" a small voice sounded behind them and the two hurriedly broke the sweet kiss, both looking at the child who stood in Regina's doorframe. "You found mommy," the girl squealed, climbing onto the bed and throwing herself at the two women, oblivious to what had just occurred between them.  
"I win," she stated. "Now mommy has to count."  
Regina slowly scrambled off the other woman, cheeks flushed and not meeting her gaze.  
When Regina and Lily had left the room to find a good spot to hide, Maleficent clasped her hands together.  
"What have I done?" she quietly muttered to herself. But as much as she should, she couldn't regret the kiss or the fact that she'd started it.  
A smile crept onto her face and chased away the worry lines on her forehead. That kiss had been earth shattering... mind numbing. And she wanted more. She knew it was wrong in so many facets but gods she did.  
After two more rounds of playing hide and seek, they awkwardly said their goodbyes and she and Lily teleported back home to the Forbidden Fortress.

It was two days later in the late afternoon, when Regina appeared in front of Maleficent's fortress to the happy outcry of a young child and a raised eyebrow of Cruella.  
"Regina!" Lily ran up to her and hugged her legs, leaving muddy fingerprints behind on Regina's breeches. "Look, aunty Cruella and I are planting vegetables!"  
The small hand found her own and pulled her to the fortress' newly built garden.  
She smiled in greeting at the witch who was kneeling in the dirt, loosening the earth for the seeds.  
Cruella politely nodded at the young woman. She was forever grateful that she brought their little spitfire back but she didn't know what to think of her. Daughter of the Dark One and his best student, pure of heart and as docile as a deer. It was as if the girl had multiple personalities.  
"Maleficent is in the library," she said to the Dark One's daughter, assuming she was looking for the owner of the fortress. "It's the third room to your right."  
"Thank you," Regina said and walked into the castle after ruffling the little one's hair.

The library was huge and packed with dozens of high shelves, small leather sofas and piles of books.  
"Hello?" she called out, walking further into the room. "Maleficent?"  
"Regina," the smiling dragon walked out between two shelves. "It is great to see you again."  
The blonde drew her into a short embrace. Too short for both of them.  
Regina blushed and shyly smiled at the older woman. "I came to talk," she started, her voice not betraying her nervousness. "You know, about what happened the other day."  
The dragon nodded her head in understanding and motioned for them to take a seat on one of the sofas. They were even smaller than they looked and Regina found her thigh touching Maleficent's. It was really distracting and did not help her at all at finding the right words.  
Still she started, looking deep into blue eyes.  
"I wanted to say... I mean..." she stopped and tried again after a few moments had passed by. "I know I'm very young, inexperienced and probably not at all what you're looking for - I mean if you're even looking... looking for more than a fling... But I…"  
A pale finger gently pressed onto her lips, successfully interrupting her babbling. She suddenly found it hard to breath and she noticed the blonde's eyes had turned from blue to a glowing green.  
"I wasn't 'looking', Regina," the dragon softly replied, moving the finger away and taking one of the girl's hands into her own instead. She saw Regina glance at their intertwined hands and went on. "But if I had been, you'd be exactly what I would have looked for. Kind. Beautiful. And so so brave. I don't care if you're younger than I am or less experienced in life - actually most people or creatures are - but I don't know if I could ever give you what you deserve."  
She questioningly looked at Regina. "But I am willing to try this," she waved her hand between the two of them, "if you are."  
Instead of answering, the young woman pressed her lips against her own in a slow kiss, making Maleficent forget her surroundings. She was sure if they ever had sex, she probably wouldn't even remember her own name.  
"I'll take that as a yes then," she smiled when they parted, making the mistake of looking at Regina's slightly swollen lips. She licked her tongue and drew her back in for another kiss. After several seconds of kissing, Maleficent hesitantly flicked her tongue against the girl's lips. She didn't want to push her too far. She needn't have worried though, because a small whimper escaped Regina's throat and she eagerly parted her lips to allow her entrance. They kissed like this until they needed to fill their lungs with air. When Regina wanted to go back in though, the older woman held her back.  
"As much as I like what we're doing, we have to stop." Regina looked at her with confusion, her eyes further darkened by desire, almost black.  
"I will not be able to stop if we keep this up," Maleficent explained. Heat rose in Regina's cheeks when she finally understood.  
"Oh," she breathed.  
Maleficent chuckled and gave her a peck on the corner of her mouth. "Summed up perfectly," she said.

"My Queen," the chief of the guard walked into the room and bowed when he was close to the throne. "There is someone who claims to know the identity of the person that freed your prisoner."  
"Oh really?" Snow White looked at her fingers. "Bring him in!"  
"It is a woman actually," the guard said but went to fetch her nonetheless.  
"Your majesty," the woman was rather small of stature but Snow White felt she was a force of nature and not to be messed with.  
"The chief of the royal guard said you knew who robbed me of my prisoner," the Queen stated expectantly.  
"I do, your majesty," the woman responded, her face hard and her eyes cold. "It was my daughter."  
"And why should I believe you?" Snow White asked but her interest was piqued. "Why would anyone denunciate their own child?"  
"Because she is powerful and very dangerous, your majesty," the woman looked sad but her eyes betrayed her: She did not feel a thing. "She was stolen from me by her father when she was just a wee little baby. I am afraid he brought her up wrong."  
Snow White hung on the woman's every word now. "Who is your child's father?" she wanted to know.  
"Regina is the daughter of the Dark One," the woman hissed out. "And I believe she's come to be even more powerful than he could ever dream of being himself."  
"The Dark One," Queen Snow White muttered to herself. "I shall send an army then."  
"There is no need for an army, your majesty," the woman said coldly. "I will retrieve my daughter from the Dark Castle. I made a contract with her father a long time ago - the Dark One cannot lay a single finger on me."  
The two women grinned evilly, Snow White rubbing her hands together in glee. "We shall be great allies…"  
"Cora," the other woman supplied. "Indeed we shall."

Regina and Maleficent had spent a good two hours in the library, alternating between lazily lounging on the sofa, sharing soft kisses that left them wanting more, and trying to get the book piles ordered into the shelves.  
"Mommy?" Lily came running into the library. "Is Regina still here?"  
"I am," Regina said, appearing from behind one of the shelves.  
The young child clapped her hands and approached her friend with a slight bounce in her steps.  
"What are you doing?" Lily asked curiously.  
"Your mommy and I are trying to find a nice place in the shelves for the poor books on the floor," Regina explained and the child's eyes lit up.  
"Can I help?" Lily eagerly asked, looking between her mother and Regina.  
"Course you can," Regina smiled at the little girl who beamed back at her. "How about I hold you up and you can put this book here," she motioned for the big tome she was holding in her hand, "in the topmost shelf? It is where it belongs but I am not as tall as your mommy is. I could use the extra inches."  
Regina playfully winked at the girl who was already extending her arms for Regina to pick her up.  
In the next thirty minutes, Regina and Lilith became a well-rehearsed team and Maleficent often sneaked glances at the two people who held her heart. They looked so adorable together - it was as if they belonged.  
Suddenly her staring was cut short; Regina stood in front of her, grinning.  
"Where's Lily?" Maleficent asked, her eyes darting to the younger woman's enticing lips.  
"She's gone to fetch glasses and a jug of juice," Regina quietly said, her hands finding their way around the dragon's waist. "You know, I couldn't help but notice you staring at us," she whispered cheekily, pressing her body against the taller woman.  
"I…" Maleficent stuttered. It was hard to find words when Regina was this close to her, teasing her. She licked her lips. "I… I just... uh... come here," she finally stopped trying to talk and buried her hands in Regina's hair, drawing her closer. Regina beamed at Maleficent before their lips came together in a not so innocent kiss. Their tongues were exploring each other's mouths when Maleficent pinned the young woman in her arms against the closest bookshelf. A moan escaped Regina's lips and the blonde parted their mouths to attach her lips to her young lover's neck, sucking on her pulse point.  
"Mal," Regina cried out in desire, her hands wandering to the dragon's ass, pulling her ever so much closer into her own body.  
They jumped apart when they heard the unmistakable clattering of a jug hitting the floor and glasses shattering into a million pieces.  
"Lily," they both whispered horrified at seeing the small girl that was standing in between the glass splitters, gaping at them open-mouthed.  
Suddenly the girl started laughing, pointing at them.  
"You should see your faces," the child giggled at the shocked women. "I saw the aunties doing this once. Now they always lock their room though..."  
'So the two really were a couple, huh?' Maleficent would make sure to tease the two women relentlessly for it. They'd denied it for so long whenever she asked.  
Now it seemed, she had a lot of explaining to do. She had hoped this talk could wait until her daughter was in her late teens.


End file.
